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Message: <blockquote data-quote="FitzTheRuke" data-source="post: 9183796" data-attributes="member: 59816">Murder in Beggar’s GulchIron DM 2023 R1: FitzTheRuke vs Kobold Stew<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Broken Mirror</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Persistent Kitten</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Clouded Vision</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Celebrated Bard</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Home Renovation</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shadow Puppet</li> </ul>A solo adventure in the Weird West.Note: The style is meant to evoke a tone. A GM should feel free to use any part as flavor text (being careful not to give too much away at any time) or to inspire a similar take of their own.You’re the law in these here parts. I dunno how it happened, just that it did. Maybe you lost a bet. Maybe you volunteered. In that case, some folks would call you crazy. There ain’t never been much use for Law in Beggar’s Gulch.This here story starts at the town saloon. The looking-glass behind the counter was shot during a dust-up long ago. Strangely, now each cracked piece shows a reflection of a different day. You can watch the shot that took out the glass, or you can see yourself drinking – though you might not like that streak of gray you spot in your hair.The bartender, Maggie hails from a pack of were-pumas from out near Leadbelly. Her kid is Kitty both because her name’s Catherine, and because she keeps to her half-form much of the time. Kitty found body out back by the stables, and she’ll ask you to track who done it. She doesn’t let up with her questions, but she means well.The body is Shakey Parr, right as rain. He was the best darn storyteller in these parts, and he could tickle the ivories like no one else. He had a voice like silk. I’m gonna miss him, I can tell you that. But it’s your job to find out who or what killed him, not mine. Kitty won’t let up about it.If you watch the mirror behind the bar long enough, without drinking yourself into a stupor, you’ll see that Shakey stepped out the back with a farmhand. Prospector Joe can tell you that it was Geddy Coltrain who works at the Edblatt’s farm down by Blistering Bluff.Max Edblatt and his wife Skipper have been working on their farmhouse’s kitchen and pantry ever since the whirlwind busted through the roof and took off little Peonie and the dogs. Some say she’s still out there, flying around. You know how to swing a hammer, so in exchange for labor, they’ll tell you that Geddy quit suddenly and took the road to Murmur.Taking the coach to Murmur is a story in itself: Your fellow passengers are Ophelia Whittle and her son, Bart. Devil-worship has given Ophelia the Sight, though it took her eyes, and talking to her might well tell you things you’d rather not know. But she’ll give you a hint or two of what’s to come, in her clouded way. Bart no longer speaks on account of the things he’s seen, but he helps his mom get around, like a good kid.If you’re unlucky enough to be carrying anything shiny, like your pistols or frankly, the driver’s vest’s buttons, the coach will be set upon by red ravens by the bend near Bloody Brook. They won’t let up until chased off by a loud enough bang. That stick of dynamite under the driver’s seat will do the job - if you can find it.Sure enough, Geddy is holed up at the Old Vic Theatre in Murmur. They’re the one that done in Shakey Parr all right, but they won’t go quietly. Their puppets have knives, and though the real things are small, somehow Geddy can cast them up on a white canvas when they’re backlit by a series of lights and mirrors. Good thing no one else is around.Geddy knew you were on to them, and they have the puppets ready to go. Ten feet tall the puppets are on the screen, and their shadow-knives still cut like a razor. If you can find where Geddy is holed up among the manakins, screens, and armatures of the stage before getting yourself much cut up, you can put an end to all this nonsense.Shooting at shadows never helped many folks, but Geddy won’t put up much of a fight if you can find out where they’re laying low. A better plan might be to smash the lights, but then the Vic will go all dark and there’s a good chance Geddy will hightail it away in the confusion. If so, you can still catch up to them at the Rocksbury Train Station – where the train is late, as usual.</blockquote>

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